Acetylene-gas generator.



W. A. WOODS.

AOETYLENE (ms GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED HAB.10,1908.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

INVENTOR WZ/Z Zm /4: Wivds:

BY 544. %@%z ATTO NEY

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. WOODS, 0F WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 HARRY D. FRIEIER- MUTH, OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. Woons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Watsonville, in the county of Santa Cruz and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus which is especially designed for the generation and storage of acetylene gas, and for automatically regulating the operation.

It consists in the combination of parts, and in details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my apparatus, with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a section showing valve open.

For the purpose of generating what is known as acetylene gas from calcium carbid, it is necessary to provide a means for subjecting the carbid to the action of water, and various devices have been constructed for this purpose.

It is the object of my invention to provide a means for intermittently and automatically supplying carbid from a containing receptacle into a water-sealed and watercontaining generator, from which the generated gas is delivered to a gasometer, wit-h means for preventing the return of the gas, and means by which the exhaustion of the gas automatically supplies a fresh charge of the carbid to the generating chamber. By means of suitably disposed water-seals I prevent leakages of the gas and also provide a safety device in case of accidental oversupply of gas to the gasometer.

My invention consists of a rising and falling gasometer-bell A with the usual watercontaining tank in which the bell is guided and movable, and one or more gas genera tors 2. In the present case I have shown a single gasometer A and a plurality of generators which may be so disposed as to operate successively, the fresh one being set into operation when the previous .one has been exhausted, which may be effected by any simple and suitable means.

As shown herewith, the generating chamber a has a water-supply attachment 3 by which it may be filled up to the desired water line, such as shown at a. The lower Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 10, 1908.

Patented Sept. *7, 1909.

Serial No. 420,209.

wand of the supply chamber 3 is suiliciently below the water line so that the opening 4 into the generator 2 will be constantly submerged, and will thus form a seal to prevent the escape of gas in this direction.

Above the generator is a carbid-containing chamber 5. It may be of any desired size or construction, and may have flanges corresponding with similar flanges upon the generating chamber, so that the carbid chamber can be removably secured by bolts or otherwise, as shown at 6. Thus, if it is desirable to obtain access to the interior of the generator it can be done by removing the upper art of the carbid chamber 5. The lower part of this chamber, 5*, which extends into the generator, is of funnel-shape, and at the lower end is an opening through which the carbid is allowed to pass into the generator.

The opening is a little to one side of the center of the cone as shown, and this opening is normally closed by a conical valve 7 hinged to the side of the opening and having a stem fixed rigidly to an arm 8. The valve is provided with a strap hinge or other joint which is located at one side of the base of the cone as shown at 9.

10 is a weight suspended from one end of the lever arm 8, and this weight is suflicient to normally close the valve 7 and prevent any carbid escaping around it. The valve may be opened by means of a rod 11 which is fixed to the arm 8 at the end opposite to the weight 10; thus by pulling down upon the arm or rod 11, the lever and the valve will be tilted about the hinge 9, thus opening a space at one side of the valve through which the pulverized carbid may fall into the water in the generator. Whenever the rod 11 is released, the weight 10 is suflicient to close the valve 7. This rod 11 extends downwardly below the surface of the water in the generator; thence making a turn, it extends upwardly within a tube 12 located near one side of the generator and forming a tight joint with the top of the generator through which this tube 19., passes, and a water seal below. The upper end of the rod 11 passes out through the'top of the tube 12, and has a contact piece 13 upon its upper end.

The gasometer A is here shown as having an arm 14, with sleeves 15 which are freely slidable upon the vertical guide rods 16 fixed to the side of the gasometer tank. This insures the proper movement of the gasometer in its rise and fall. The end or ends of the arm 14 extend outwardly to a point in line above the rod 11 and its contact piece 13, and this projecting end carries a vertically adjustable rod or arm 17 which has fixed to its lower end a contact piece 18, movable in line with the rod 11, and its contact piece.

Gas which arises within the generator passes downwardly through a pipe 19, the upper end of which is above the water-level in the generator, and from the lower end a connection passes through the side of the generator into the water tank B of the gas ometer, and thence upwardly into the gasometer bell at a point above the water level in the gasometer tank. The upper end of this gas delivery pipe has fitted into it an outwardly closable valve 20, and this valve may be made of aluminum, or other light material so as to easily rise and allow gas to enter the gasometer as fast as it is formed in the generator, the gasometer rising as it becomes filled.

When by exhaustion of the carbid charge in the generator, the gasometer sinks in its tank, the contact 18 carried by the gasometer will sink in unison until it presses upon the contact plate 13 of the rod 11. This rod is then pushed down within its water-sealing tube 12, and the inner end of it being connected with the lever arm 8, as previously described, acts to depress this end of the arm opening the valve 7 and allowing a sufficient charge of carbid to fall into the generator, thus renewing the gas supply and again charging the gasometer; this operation continuing automatically and without further attention until the carbid chamber 5 becomes exhausted.

If by any accident the valve 7 should fail to close, or the amount of gas entering the gasometer be excessive, and liable to reach the danger point, I have shown a relief means which consists of a tube 21 extending upwardly above the top of the gasometer through and into any suitable discharge flue as at 22. l/Vithin this flue and movable with the gasometer, is the tube 21, the lower end of which extends sufiiciently below the normal water line of the gasometer tank to insure the maintenance of a water-seal; but if the gasometer should continue to rise past the danger point, the lower open end of this tube 23 would be raised above. the surface of the water, thus allowin surplus gas to escape through the escape ilue 22.

2 1 isa receptacle having an overflow pipe 25 connecting with it, and discharging into a waste hopper as at 26 so that the level of the water in the gasometer tank is constantly maintained.

27 is a branch pipe from the generator opens into the upper part of the gasometer,

said pipe passing below the bottom of the gasometer and out through the side of its tank, and connecting with a cleaning or scrubbing device as at 29, containing material to cleanse the gas of moisture or impurities before being finally led to its destination.

30 is a waste discharge pipe or passage in.

the bottom or lower part of the generator.

31 is an agitating arm fixed tothe lower end of a suitably stepped and guided rod 32, whichextends upwardly through a water sealed tube 33 fixed in one side of the generator. The upper end of the arm 32 has a suitable handle 34: by which it may be oscillated back and forward, and the arm 31 thus turned so as to agitate or loosen up any sediment deposited during the action of generating gas, and when the passage is opened this material will be discharged and the generator cleansed. In all cases the inclosing tubes form an effective water seal to prevent the escape of'any gas.

I have herein described a single generator connecting with the gasometer, but it will be manifest that a plurality of generators equipped similarly to that herein described may be disposed around a single gasometer, and provided with means by which a fresh generator may be set into operation when a previous one has been exhausted, thusv providingopportunity for cleansing the generators and re-supplying' the carbid containers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V 1. In an apparatus of the character described,a rising and falling gasometer, a generator exterior thereto, a carbid chamber located above the generator having a funnelshaped lower end with a discharge opening, a cone-shaped valve controlling said opening, said valve being hingedly connected to one side of the lowerend of the carbid chamher, a weighted arm connected rigidly with the valve, said valve being fixed to an intermediate part of the arm, a rod contacting with the end of the arm opposite to the weight said rod extending downwardly within the generator and thence returned in an upward direction through the top of the generator, and an arm carried by the gasometer vertically in line with the upper end of said rod and adapted to contact with the latter when the gasometer sinks whereby the valve is rocked to uncover the opening in the carbid chamber.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a gasometer, a water-containing generating chamber, a carbid chamber located above and connecting with the generating chamber and having a cone-shaped lower end with an opening therein, a lever arm below the carbid chamber having a weight at one end and having an upwardly extending rigid cone-shaped valve connected with an intermediate portion and controlling said opening; said valve being hingedly connected to one side of the base of the cone, a rod bent upon itself for the greater portion of its length having one part extending over and adapted to contact with the end of the lever arm opposite the weight, and having its other end extending through the top of the generating chamber, and provided with a contact piece, and an arm on the gasometer having a contact piece adapted to contact with the corresponding piece on the rod as the gasometer sinks, whereby the rod is depressed to rock the lever arm and cause the valve to uncover the opening in the carbid chamber.

3. The combination with a carbid chamber, having a cone-shaped lower end with an opening formed therein, of a lever arm below the carbid chamber having a coneshaped valve rigidly connected with an intermediate portion, said valve being hingedly connected at one side with one side of the opening in the carbid chamber, a weight on one end of the lever arm, a slidably mounted member arranged in a vertical plane of the other end of the lever arm, a gasometer, and means carried thereby for actuating said rod.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM A. \VOODS.

Vitnesses CHARLES A. BENFmLn, FREDERICK E. MAYNARD. 

